Apparatus for coping a wall

ABSTRACT

In apparatus for coping a wall, a dual section form is releasably attached to the wall adjacent its uppermost surface and cementitious material is poured on such surface within the form. Thereafter a tile bed is placed on one face of the wall against the form, the latter being utilized to support a reciprocable knife in order to trowel the tile bed into parallelism with the terminal edge of the overhanging nose of the coping. Removal of the form leaves a groove at the tile and its bed between the coping and the uppermost surface of the wall which is then caulked.

United States Patent 1111 3,776,501 Loftin Dec. 4, 1973 APPARATUS FOR COPING A WALL 1,939,007 12 1933 Heltzel 249 4 x [76] Inventor: William E. Loftin, 8412 NE. 53rd S Kansas City, 64119 Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner--B. D. Tobor [22] July 1971 Att0rney-Schmidt, Johnson, l-lovey, Williams and {21] Appl. No.: 160,954 Chase Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 810,641, March 26, 1969. I ABSTRACT In apparatus for coping a wall, a dual section form is [52] U.S. Cl. 249/2, 249/DIG. 3 releasably attached to the wall adjacent its uppermost [51] Int.l Cl. B2811 7/06, E04g 11/36 Sulface and cementiflous material is poured on Such [58] FIG (1 0f Search 249/916. 3, l9, 2, Surface within the form. Thereafter a tile bed is placed 249/3 52/169 102 on one face of the wall against the form, the latter being utilized to support a reciprocable knife in order [56] References Cited to trowel the tile bed into parallelism with the terminal UNITED STATES PATENTS edge of the overhanging nose of the coping. Removal 3,348,801 10/1967 Deason 249/DIG. 3 0f the form leaves a groove at the tile and its bed be- 1,202,269 10/1916 Cramer... 249/4 X tween the coping and the uppermost surface of the 3,526,070 9/1970 Deason 249/DIG. 3 wall which is then caulked. 2,729,093 l/ 1956 Ridley 249/DIG. 3 3,395,884 8/1968 Laukaln 249/4 2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR COPING A WALL This is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 810,641 filed Mar. 26, 1969 and entitled APPA- RATUS AND METHOD FOR COPING A WALL.

Conventionally, it is the practice to finish or cap fire walls, retaining walls, and more particularly swimming pool walls with copestone. The copestones are usually custom produced in accordance with the size and configuration of the wall to be coped, such being especially necessary when the wall has various arcuate shapes, as in the case of swimming pools.

The practice has been quite unsatisfactory from the standpoint of consumption of time and expense, but further than that, considerable cracking, breakage and displacement can be expectedperiodically as the result of entrance of moisture between the coping stone and the wall and damage during freezing'and thawing conditions.

Accordingly, it is an important object 'of my present invention to form the coping directly upon the uppermost surface of the wall, in lieu of using preformed coping stones, thereby saving time as well as costs and presenting a finished structure which is not subject :to breakage.

Another important object of the instant invention is to provide a method of coping, together with novel apparatus for use in carrying out the method which will eliminate moisture seepagebetween the coping and the wall by virtue of presentation of a caulkedgroove :between the coping and the wall, i.e., at that :zone where there is normally found a weak joint giving rise to the necessity for frequent repair in conventional coping methods.

Other important objects will be made clear orwill become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view'showing a form made according to my present invention and capable of use in carrying out my method of coping a wall,

form;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the form;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the clamp shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the coping poured into the form and illustrating a knife element for use in forming a tile bed onthe wall;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded view of the form;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of one form section on its supporting bracket, illustrating .a modified clamp;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the coping in finished condition; and

FIGS. 9-12 are perspective views illustrating the method.

Wall 12, chosen for illustration of the coping method and apparatus of my present invention, may be concrete as illustrated but the principles about to be described are equally applicable and advantageous for use with other types of walls such as brick, stone, building block, or other material. Moreover, while one face 14 of wall 12 is intended in the drawings to be the inner face of a swimming pool, it is also to be understood that my invention may be used in connection with walls having virtually any other purpose, such as fire walls, retaining walls, window sills, i.e., any of many conditions steps in FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of said wherein a coping or other covering course of a wall is needed or desired.

It is to be understood also that normally the upper surface 16 of wall- 12 is usually left in a rough, nonuniform condition and that the edges 18 and 20 are not necessarily straight and smooth. Such is of no consequence when following the concepts of my present invention; moreover, the wall 12 may have various curvatures, including several rather sharp radii, such as those commonly found in swimming pools of kidney shape and other configuration.

The finished coping 22 as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and I 12 of the drawings is produced directly on the surface 16 by use of'aspecial form 24 having a pair of sections 26 and 28 together with a plurality of spaced cross members 30, the latter of which rest directly upon the surface 16 when form 24 is in place on wall 12.

Form sections 26 and 28 are both bendable so as to conform tothe configuration of the wall 12 in the event that edges 18 and 20 are not straight .and to this end, itis suggested thatthe section 28 be in the nature of an elongated band made from spring steel and provided with a-series of spaced keyhole slots 32 adapted to receive headed studs 34 at one end of spacer members '30. To this same end the section 26 includes a body 36 made from a suitable elastomer and provided with a faceplate 38 of spring steel, it being noted that the width of the .plate38 and the height of the body 36 are greater than the width of the section'28 so that the top '40 of the coping 22 slopes transversely toward face 42 of wall 12. It :is desirable thatspacing members 30 be flexibleandtmade from any suitable elastomer.

Thersection 26 is supported on the wall 12 by a plurality of spaced Z-shaped brackets 44 each of which has a pair of L-shaped parts 46and 48 provided with overlapping horizontal legs, slotted to receive bolt and nut fasteners 50, permitting adjustment of the part 48 toward and away from face 14. The parts 46 are aligned and their vertical legs attached directly to the face 14 by means of fasteners 52.

Body 36 of form section 26 is provided with a transversely arcuate, longitudinally extending cavity 54 that is spaced above the plane of surface 16 when the form section 26 is supported by the brackets 44, and conforming in'shape to the desired transversely arcuate configuration of overhanging nose 56 of coping 22.

A longitudinally extending transversely wedgeshaped web 58 integral with the body 36 extends laterally from the lowermost edge of cavity 54 into partial overlying engagement with the surface 16 adjacent edge 18. Spacers30 are provided with arcuate portions 60 which conform in shape .to the cavity 54, the ends of portions 60 being inserted into notches 61. The lowermost edges 62 of spacers 30 rest directly upon the 1 surface 16. V-shaped slots 64, in the webs58 and body 36 continue into upright slots 66 which register with notches -61 in body 36. It is to be understood at this juncture that the configuration of the slots 64 permits the section 26 to conform to curvatures in the wall 12 without buckling -of the .web 58 or any other part of the body 36.

Thelength of the sections 26 may be selected as desired-and such lengths are brought into abutting relationship presenting butt joints 68 between the bodies 26 as best seen in FIG. 3. The ends of the plates 38 at the joint 68 are also in abutting relationship and offset as at 70 to receive a locking tab 72 which is inserted between the bodies 26 and the offset ends 70 at joint 68 in the manner illustrated by FIG. 2.

In order to prevent inward bowing of the sections 26 and to hold them in proper position with respect to the aligned brackets 44 a resilient clip 74 may be looped over the uppermost edges of bracket parts 48 and the plates 38 as seen in FIG. 7.

Altemately, a clamp 76 may be used in lieu of clips 74, clamp 76 having ears 78 which may be looped under the plates 38. A clamping screw 80 is then brought tightly against the outer face of the upstanding leg of the bracket section 48.

With the form 24 thus in place on the wall 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10, cementitious material is poured into the form 24 between the sections 26 and 28 thereof and between the cross members 30, care being taken to first completely fill the cavity 54 to eliminate all voids. Through use of a suitable screed the top 40 of the coping 22 is formed flush with and in accordance with the configuration of the uppermost edges 82 of the cross members 30.

The material used in the forming of coping 22 may be preselected as desired but it is significant to note that my method permits the major part of the coping 22 to be first made up of relatively inexpensive clean grey cement as indicated at 84 in FIG. 8 with the remainder of the coping 22 formed with a finish layer of white or colored cement, embedded, if desired, with an aggregate to present a rough or decorative finish. Alternately, after coping 22 is poured it can be sprayed with a waterproof finish in lieu of the textured type finish just above described. Moreover, the colors can be obtained by the spray finish rather than provided in the solid smooth colors in the material which covers the less expensive material 84.

In certain applications, as in the case of a swimming pool, it is desirable to provide a stain barrier on the face 14 of wall 12 adjacent its edge 18. Therefore, prior to removal of the form 24, a tile bed 86 is placed on the face 14 against the web 58, as best seen in FIG. 5, whereupon the bed 86 of cementitious material is smoothed out and brought into parallelism with the outermost terminal edge 88 of nose 56 by reciprocating a knife 90 to trowel the bed 86 therealong.

The knife 90 is supported by a carriage 92 which is reciprocably mounted .on the form section 26 after removal of brackets 44. The essentially U-shaped carriage 92 has a pair of rollers 94 which roll along the upper and lowermost edges of the body 36 and a pair of rollers 96 which ride along the outer surface of the plate 38. Knife 90 is carried by a slotted arm 98 which is adjustable toward and away from the face 14 upon loosening of bolts 100 which attach the arm 98 to the can'iage 92. The zones in the bed 86 which are not smoothed out at the joints 70 may be quickly and easily hand troweled prior to placement of a tile course 102 on the bed 86, again with the upper edges of the tile abutting the lower face of web 58.

Upon removal of the form 24, the joints or spaces presented by the spacers 30 are filled with a suitable grout 104. Moreover, the space presented between coping 22 and the surface 16 by removal of web 58 is filled with a waterproof caulking such as a preselected butyl material, such caulking being designated by the numeral 106 and, as best seen in FIG. 8, fills in the space between the coping 22 and the upper edges of tile bed 86 and tile course 102.

It is seen from the foregoing that the method eliminates the need for a coping bed on the surface 16 of wall 14 and that the weak joint that is normally presented between the coping 22 and the surface 16 at edge 18 is eliminated by the utilization of the web 58 and the presentation of a similarly shaped groove for receiving the caulking material 106.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for use in simulating copestones on a swimming pool wall comprising:

a plurality of horizontally spaced, inwardly and upwardly extending brackets attached to the inner face of said wall adjacent the uppermost surface of the latter;

a first elongated form section mounted solely on said brackets without support from said surface, coextensive in length with the wall, extending laterally inwardly from said face, and rising above the horizontal plane of said surface for forming an overhanging nose on the simulated copestones to be produced;

a plurality of elongated horizontally spaced, transversely upright, joint-forming and form-supporting cross members interlocked at one end with said first section and extending laterally therefrom across said surface in supported engagement therewith,

each of said members having an uppermost edge configured in accordance with the top of the simulated copestones to be produced and a lower edge resting on saidsurface; and

a second elongated form section attached to and supported solely by the opposite ends of said members in coextensive, contiguous relationship with the uppermost edge of the outer face of said wall,

said second form section rising above the horizontal plane of said surface along with said members and said first section for receiving a deposit of cementitious material limited solely to said top surface of the wall without flow to adjoining areas, including the ground, whereby screeding of the green material along said uppermost edges of said members, removing of both sections and all members after the material has cured, and caulking of the joints thus formed by the removed members produces a simulated series of end-to-end copestones capping the wall and supported solely by the latter.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes an elastomeric body having an arcuate, horizontally extending, nose-defining cavity therein, said one end of each member being complemental with said cavity, said body further having a joint-forming web integral therewith below said cavity and extending into partial overlying relationship with said wall surface, there being for each member a pair of superimposed, V-shaped slots in the body and the web above and below said cavity respectively and registering with 'a vertical notch in the body extending between said slots at the level of the cavity, said slots and the notch receiving and retaining said one end of their member while allowing fiexure of the body. 

1. Apparatus for use in simulating copestones on a swimming pool wall comprising: a plurality of horizontally spaced, inwardly and upwardly extending brackets attached to the inner face of said wall adjacent the uppermost surface of the latter; a first elongated form section mounted solely on said brackets without support from said surface, coextensive in length with the wall, extending laterally inwardly from said face, and rising above the horizontal plane of said surface for forming an overhanging nose on the simulated copestones to be produced; a plurality of elongated horizontally spaced, transversely upright, joint-forming and form-supporting cross members interlocked at one end with said first section and extending laterally therefrom across said surface in supported engagement therewith, each of said members having an uppermost edge configured in accordance with the top of the simulated copestones to be produced and a lower edge resting on said surface; and a second elongated form section attached to and supported solely by the opposite ends of said members in coextensive, contiguous relationship with the uppermost edge of the outer face of said wall, said second form section rising above the horizontal plane of said surface along with said members and said first section for receiving a deposit of cementitious material limited solely to said top surface of the wall without flow to adjoining areas, including the ground, whereby screeding of the green material along said uppermost edges of said members, removing of both sections and all members after the material has cured, and caulking of the joints thus formed by the removed members produces a simulated series of end-to-end copestones capping the wall and supported solely by the latter.
 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first section includes an elastomeric body having an arcuate, horizontally extending, nose-defining cavity therein, said one end of each member being complemental with said cavity, said body further having a joint-forming web integral therewith below said cavity and extending into partial overlying relationship with said wall surface, there being for each member a pair of superimposed, V-shaped slots in the body and the web above and below said cavity respectively and registering with a vertical notch in the body extending between said slots at the level of the cavity, said slots and the notch receiving and retaining said one end of their member while allowing flexure of the body. 